Two questions this week, prompted by derbies in east and west Yorkshire: how on earth have Hull KR come from nowhere to dominate and humiliate their rivals in the west of the city; and would Wakefield or Castleford win a hypothetical battle for a single Super League licence in 2012?

Less than four years ago, Hull FC's memorable Challenge Cup triumph against Leeds in Cardiff was sandwiched between defeats for Hull KR against Whitehaven and Rochdale Hornets in the unsponsored National League One. Yet Rovers go into Saturday's derby at Craven Park as odds-on favourites to extend their advantage over their fierce local rivals to 7-3 in the last three seasons, riding high in the top four of the Super League table while FC languish in 11th.

First, huge credit where it is due to Hull Kingston Rovers, starting from their chairman Neil Hudgell and Justin Morgan, the coach he appointed in that summer of 2005. Hudgell, a local solicitor and passionate Rovers fan, started with ambition and vision, and had the drive and intelligence to turn unlikely dreams into reality.

He spotted Morgan's potential during an equally unlikely run to the Challenge Cup semi-finals with Toulouse in 2005, and the Wales-qualified Australian delivered the necessary promotion in his first full season in charge, and then Super League consolidation the following year.

The steady progress has continued, with a seventh-placed finish last season and now the likelihood not only of a play-off debut, but of a second chance even if they lose in the first round – the reward for finishing in the top four. Watching Rovers push Leeds to the limit at Headingley last Friday was to be reminded of the quality of Morgan's signings, from Scott Murrell in the promotion season to Michael Vella, Ben Galea, Clint Newton, Michael Dobson and Peter Fox.

But having said all that, Hull FC must take some responsibility for their own demise. There was something patronising about the welcome they gave Rovers when they arrived in the Super League in 2007, and a widespread assumption that the decision to arrange four derbies in that first season was effectively a gift of eight points.

How could Rovers, in a relatively ramshackle Craven Park, ever hope to compete with FC, established Super League heavyweights having appeared in the 2006 Old Trafford grand final to follow the previous year's Challenge Cup win, and now ensconced with Hull City at the magnificent KC Stadium?

There was a first hint when Hudgell nipped in to sign Paul Cooke, who had scored FC's match-winning try in Cardiff, without paying a transfer fee, having spotted irregularities in his contract. Rovers were later punished for that, but not before Cooke had helped them to a derby win in Cardiff during the first Millennium Magic weekend, and another at the KC Stadium that secured their Super League safety.

That set the tone for the last couple of years: Hull KR sharp and opportunist, Hull FC sluggish and alarmingly accident-prone. So it was Rovers who made Dobson an offer he couldn't refuse, while FC were stuck with Adam Dykes; after sacking their cup-winning coach John Kear, FC also sent Danny Brough and Shaun Briscoe packing, Briscoe to become an international full-back with Rovers; Rovers signed Vella, FC Hutch Maiava.

Hull have also contrived not only to sign Jamie Thackray twice, but to play him illegally in last year's Challenge Cup because of another administrative oversight – an error that could, and many believe should, have cost them a trip to Wembley.

Sure, they have been unlucky, with injuries and especially Michael Crocker's visa refusal. But it must be more than bad luck to squander such a strong position and allow their formerly rock-bottom rivals to leave them for dead. It's not surprising that the admirably loyal supporters who produced another five-figure gate for last Friday's visit of Celtic Crusaders are running short of patience, even if the coach Richard Agar is an undeserving recipient of their wrath.

So to west Yorkshire, where Wakefield and Castleford clash on Sunday with more than a play-off place at stake thanks to the Rugby Football League's warning this week to clubs who have failed to deliver on promises of new stadia. Trinity and Cas both fall firmly into that category, and it threatens to undermine all the progress they have made on the field.

Wakefield's dramatic win at St Helens last Friday was the latest example of the skill and spirit in the team that Kear has assembled at Belle Vue, despite one of the lowest budgets in the Super League and the off-field turmoil caused by the deaths of Adam Watene last autumn and young Leon Walker at the start of this season. Without Kear, Trinity's Super League memories would already be fading away, as it was his inspiration that saved them from relegation in 2006.

But it surely won't be easy even for him to persuade players to come to Belle Vue in the next couple of years unless the club start to make tangible progress on their second attempt at a new stadium, following the collapse of plans for the first one just weeks after they had been awarded a Super League licence last summer.

Castleford seem a little further down the road, with a site long identified by the Xscape skiing centre off the M62 in Glasshoughton, and plans now confirmed for a swimming pool to be incorporated in their new facility. They're also having a decent season, with a real chance of making the play-offs after finishing bottom last year.

That increases the pressure on Kear to keep Trinity above Cas, as they currently are – but only on points difference. The stakes will be high on Sunday.

Reasons to be cheerful

On a completely different topic, some dry data that might make interesting and even encouraging reading.

The seven Super League fixtures last weekend, in addition to attracting a solid aggregate attendance of 63,645, involved 152 players who would qualify for Great Britain. That total compares to 110 British-qualified players in the equivalent round of matches last season – mainly, but not wholly, because there are now 14 teams in the competition and therefore an extra match every weekend.

It includes 45 players who are 22 or younger, eight from south of Birmingham (but disappointingly, none from Wales), four from Cumbria, and Brian Carney from Ireland.

The 14 teams were completed by 53 Australians, 22 from the New Zealand/Tonga/Samoa area, 10 Frenchmen and two Kumuls (John Wilshere and Jason Chan). The total doesn't quite add up, hopefully because I've double-counted Harrison Hansen.

Last year's figures were 45 Aussies, 21 Polynesians, nine French, a Fijian and two different Kumuls (Makali Aizue and Stanley Gene). So while there's still too much money going out of the game to overseas players, at least the percentages are much healthier.

It was watching the Catalans-Harlequins game on Sky, a few hours after covering Huddersfield-Warrington in the flesh, that prompted this stat attack. Positive stuff is happening, personified by Leroy Cudjoe and Michael Lawrence for Huddersfield, Will Sharp for Quins, and best of all Thomas Bosc's classic try for Catalans (50 seconds into this clip). If Bosc had been born a decade earlier, he might have gone to rugby union by now, and certainly wouldn't have been able to score that try on that stage.